Comments

The Odd Couple - What I forgot to mention is that The Odd Couple is actually a threesome.  We keep forgetting the guy who drives the getaway vehicle - he's an essential part of their modus operandi and we might think of ways to catch him.  Perhaps, while the two are busy inside, someone could rather go into the road and take HIS photo or pick up other info about him - they are probably in cellphone contact at all times.  And - how about shooting up his tyres ?? or disabling  the vehicle in some way??   What we don't know is how violent they are  likely to be in an extreme situation, so it could be very dangerous. Signed:  Twice Bitten

……….

All these stories about these tsotsis reminds me of a robbery my late disabled husband(71) and I(65) had back in November 2009 at 7pm.  Four young black men (we thought college students) climbed over our garden wall, corner College Road and Hodson Ave, threatened us with our lives if I did not stop screaming,   The leader was taller than the others and lighter skinned.  I tried lecturing them getting more threats, and finally I prayed which seemed to scare them off.  As they had stolen my cellphones and cut our telephone line I could not phone the police so when they had gone I asked our domestic to phone and was told to fetch the police from Avondale as they had no transport.  We later heard this same gang were hitting 3 and 4 houses at a time.  I wonder if it the same ones who have decided it is the way to live.  What an embarrassment to their parents.  We also heard that the police were getting a cut from them to  turn a blind eye hence nothing is heard from the police. Rose.

……………..

With regards to the so called Passa Passa, and the question as to where the parents are.    Obviously  not  partying with the kids, and  very likely  having their own fun.    Ones  children can tell you they are going ANYWHERE that  will sound "kosher", but unless  a phone call is made   to check the veracity of the story, things like this will continue.     Has the person who  witnessed all this" over the past few months,"  reported it to the police as a responsible citizen?

Odd Couple seemingly have Not so odd  Protection.    The situation is appalling added to which there now exists a situation with  Commuter buses.            A neighbours gardener  boarded his Commuter Bus  over the  holidays, to be attacked by  three men already  in it  as passengers.   They stole all his money, docs, (ID) not sure what else, beat him up badly,  threw him from the vehicle and sped off.       We have all heard the  stories as to who the owners of many of the City's  C Bs are,now this  sort of thing  is  occurring.   One has to wonder , the ramifications are  enormous.

……………

Christmas has been and gone but this will not mean that these BOGUS policeman dressed up to POSE as the police who are here to protect you will not strike again.  They are operating along HARARE DRIVE/NORTH  RD near the flower vender, ENTERPRISE RD/HARARE DRIVE INTERSECTION , ARCTURUS ROAD  towards Kamfinsa.  The reason I know this is that I have been stopped twice. Once by two on the Enterprise/Harare drive intersection but managed to wangle my way out of things.  This last week I was slowed done  by 2 bogus policeman in a Mark 2 or maybe even a White  Corolla  on the  Arcturus but my awareness and choice of language gave them such a fright they stopped and turned around.  A friend of mine was stopped by 2 men and a women they forced their way into her car but she managed to get rid of them by Kamfinsa.  My sister in law was stopped the previous week  at the same place by the flower vender on Harare drive close to North Road and also managed to get rid of them by making a phone call to the police. The are targeting WOMEN ON THEIR OWN, WOMEN AND CHlLDREN AND ELDERLY.  Do not stop unless they force you and firstly ask for their Identity  before they ask you for theirs. If scruffy or dressed in the old Karkhi coloured uniform they are for sure BOGUS  . LADIES YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELVES BE FIRM.  Close your windows and pretend to make a call, do not pull off the road for any policeman that are not in Police Vehicles.  I have been also stopped on the CHASE These guys are operating between the University and the Chase. Once again I showed who was boss and they went packing not nice but it worked.

FEISTY ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN

……………..

It is the ZBC licensing time again, and while I appreciate you cannot argue that if you have a radio you need a license, there is the case that Japanese vehicles with the in built radio can only tune up to 90 FM.  This means you cannot receive any ZBC stations, only Star FM which is private.  I phoned ZBC licensing and they said that regardless you need a license, but other people have said Pockets Hill can issue an exemption letter.  Maybe someone on the mailing list can confirm or deny that for a radio not capable of receiving ZBC at all that you still need the licence.

…………….

There seems to have been another “hit” by the famous silver Mercedes gang. There must have been three of them watching a block of garden flats in Greystone Park. A lady living there went out for literally five minutes to collect a pre-ordered take-away. They placed a rock or stick on the rail of the electric gate and to prevent it from closing and gained access into the block. They rattled the door of the flat closest to the gate but the resident was at home and access was difficult. They proceeded to number 2 and managed to enter. One man must have waited in the parking area as a lookout while another, in very muddy shoes, went upstairs and selected jewellery from the bedside table. The lady of the home was back quickly and placed her wallet and dinner on the kitchen counter. She was turning to lock her door, which was closed and there was aggressive banging on it. She opened the door and a tall man dressed in black from head to toe (who must have been the lookout), started demanding her to tell him where to put his water tank as he is a new resident in the block. As she is always helpful, they walked around the property having a look which gave the other intruder the chance to exit the home, raiding the wallet on the counter en route. Since the gate had been misbehaving with something on its rail, the occupant of the flat closest to the gate opened it. The men got out of the premises and were picked up in the slow moving Mercedes.

The reaction unit responded to the panic button 25 minutes after it was pressed. The explanation given was “sorry for the inconvenience” and the excuse “it was at the time of changing shift”. Surely, with the massive collection of subscriptions for this backup service, there should be an overlap in changing shift times?

These people are opportunists looking for the slightest slip so we all have to be vigilant and make sure gates and doors are locked, even if you visit a neighbour in your block.

Make sure you know your neighbours and make it a policy that they are introduced if and when tenants change.

Do not respond to aggressive knocking or banging unless you know who is there as you might be attacked.

The upside of this story is that nobody was physically harmed BUT a gold chain with a pendant of three lovingly facetted aquamarines has gone.

……………..